Dr. MA Songde, Vice Minister of Science and Technology and Head of Science Team of the Organizing Committee of 2006 Russia Year in China, visited the official website of Russia Year in China in the afternoon on August 15, 2006 and made on-line exchange with cyber friends over the issue of China-Russia S&T cooperation.

When asked about the content and significance of the S&T activities of Russia Year in China, Vice Minister MA said that the activities cover four areas:

1.    High-level academic exchange;

2.    Russian S&T exhibitions;

3.    Joint projects in line with the development of high-tech industries;

4.    Dialogues between China and Russia scientists of various age groups and youth exchange programs to popularize science and technology.

As to the issues of Russia’s S&T development and the features of China-Russia S&T cooperation in which the audience showed great interests, Minister MA said that Russia is world leaders in many areas like basic research, aeronautics and astronautics. Russia boasts many firsts in the world, for example, the first H-bomb, the first man-made satellite, the first nuclear power plant and the first manned spaceflight. China enjoys its own strengths as well, such as IT, microelectronics. Therefore, China and Russia can complement each other to achieve a win-win situation on the basis of equality. A good case in point is that scientists of both countries have joint hands in ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) and other international major science cooperation programs.

When asked about the IPR protection in S&T cooperation, Vice Minister said both sides attached great importance to it. China and Russia has signed protocols on IPR protection and regulate the issue on legislature and administrative level. He said that the only sustainable cooperation is the one with IPR protections.

Vice Minister MA also answered questions about China-Russia joint science parks, China’s high-tech enterprises to invest and set up companies in Russia, the exchange between young scientists of both sides and China-Russia cooperation on aeronautics and astronautics. He made some very good suggestions and sincere advice to the Chinese overseas students based on his own experiences.

The Xinhua News Agency broadcast the news on the same day. CCTV News and China National Radio covered the event in their programs at the same night. China’s major news and commercial portal sites timely published the news or the abstracts of the dialogue as well.